Automatic railway-switch.



N0. 69|,0l0. Patented Jan. l4, I902. c. SCHWARZ & w. H. DRITTLER. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application filed Aug. 27, 1901.). (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet l.

Patented Ian. I4, 1902,.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. ZIN ZKIW m.

C'. SCHWARZ & W. H. DRITTLER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

(Application file d Aug. 27 1901.)

(No Model.)

Milne-3686s UNITED STATES PATENT .CEEICE.

CARL SCIIlVARZ, OF QUINCY TOWNSHIP, AND WILLIAM H. DRITTLER, ()F HANCOCK, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,010, dated January 14, 1902.

Application filed August 27, 1901. Serial No. 73,486. (No model.) i

To (LZZ whom it may concern: tached switch-operating shoes. Fig. 7 is :1. Be it known that we, CARL SOHWARZ, relongitudinal sectional elevation, on a larger siding in Quincy township, and WILLIAM H. scale, showing the switch-rail-locking mech- DRITTLER, residing at Hancock, in the county' anism; and Fig. 8 is a central vertical t-rans- 5 of Houghton and State of Michigan, citizens verse section of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail of the United States, have invented a certain perspective view of the switch operating new and useful Improvement in Automatic shoes. Railway-Switches, of which thefollowing is a In the drawings, 1 represents the main full, clear, and exact description. track, 2 and 3 the sidings, and 4 the movable IO Thisinvention relates to automatic railwayswitch-rails. The movable switch rails at switches; and the object of the invention is their free ends are suitably secured to a to provide a switch which can be set for operswitch-bar 5, and said switch-barcarries upon ation automaticallyby a passingtrain and be its under side a block or enlargement 6, prolocked against operation by hand and which vided with a series of locking notches or ser- 6 :5 can be unlocked for operation by hand from rations 7, rounded or other shape, and we will the ordinary switch-stand. herein designate said block or enlargement 6 The invention consists in an automatic as a locking-plate. The saidlocking-plate railway-switch comprising movable switchis also provided at its lower edge with longirails and mechanism arranged between the tudinal flanges 8 (see Figs. 2, 7, and 8) fora 2o rails of the main track and sidings, whereby purpose presently appearing.

the said switch-rails may be shifted auto- Beneath the switch-bar and arranged upon matically bya passing train; also, in means a suitable base or support is a pillow-block 9, for automaticallylocking said switch-rails in provided in its upper surface with an undertheir shifted positions; also, in means for cutlongitudinalgroove 10, (see Fig. 8,) adapt- 25 connecting said locking means with an ordied to receive the lower flanged edge of the nary switch-stand, whereby the said vswitchlocking-plate 6, whereby the said lockingrails may be unlocked and operated by hand plate has a sliding connection with the said from said switch-stand; also, in novel means pillow-block. The said pillow-block 9 is proincluding shoes carried by the train for auvided with means for engaging the locking- 8o 0 tomatically throwing the switch; and the inplate for locking the switch-bar againstmovevention also consistsin certain details of conment, and, as herein shown, the said pillowstruction, all as we will proceed now more parblock is provided with a central recess 11, in ticularly to set forth and finally claim. which is arranged a sliding bolt 12, having In the accompanying drawings, illustrating an end corresponding in shape to and adapt- 5 our invention, in the several figures of which ed to engage the notches or serrations 7 in like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 the locking-plate, the said bolt being nor- ,7 is a conventional plan view showing our inmally held in such engagement byaspring13.--- vention applied to a main track and two sid- 14 is a rock-lever pivoted in an opening in ings. Fig. 2 is an elevation and partial secthe pillow-block 9 and suitably connected to 40 tion showing the movable switch-rails and the bolt 12 at one end and having its other their connection with the switch-stand. Fig. end extending outside said pillow-block for a v 3 is a detail perspective view, on a larger purpose presently appearing. scale, of one of the switch-rail-operating le- Connected with the switch-bar 5, between verswith the roller-pin detached. Fig. 4 is said switcl1-bar and the locking-plate 6, as at 5 5 a detail elevation, on a larger scale, of the 15, Figs. 1, 7, and 8, are a series of switchshoe-shiftinglever,theparts being separated. operating levers 16, 17, 18, and 19. These Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of portion levers are snitablyarranged between the rails of the switch-stand shown in Figs. 1 and 2. of the main track, the lever 16 being arranged Fig. (3 is a perspective view showing one manbetween the switch-rails and the levers 17, 50 ner of incasing the switch-operating levers 1S, and 19 between the rails of the main track and also showing one end of a, car and its atadjacent the sidings. The levers 16, 17, and

' 19, as preferred and as herein shown, each comprises a bar 20, provided at or near its pivotal point with laterally-extending lugs 21, adapted to receive and support brace-rods 22, suitably secured to the opposite ends of said bar. (See particularly Fig. By this construction it will be observed that a light, strong, and durable shifting-lever is produced and one which will stand the shocks and strains of automatic operation by passing trains. The lever 18 is of a similar construction, with the exception that its pivotal point is arranged about centrally, thereby producing arms of substantially equal length, while the arms of levers 16, 17, and 19 are of unequal length. All of the levers 16, 17, 18, and 19 are suitably pivoted to the ties or other supports, as at 16 17 18 and 19 and, as herein shown, (see Fig. 1,) the several ties adjacent the levers are cut away or recessed, as at 23, sufficiently to allow the shifting of the levers. The lever 18 is arranged between the levers 17 and 19 and pivotally connected therewith, thereby forming a compound lever between the switch-bar 5 and the operating end of lever 19, whereby a much easier operation of the switch-bar is effected than if the connection were a long single lever. The levers 16 and 17 are directly connected to the switch-bar 5, and the levers 16 and 19 are provided at their outer free ends with friction-rollers 24, suitably mounted upon said levers, as by a bolt and nut 25. (See Fig. 3.) Also connected about centrally to the outer free end of the lever 19 and snitably guided upon atie orothersupport is a rod or bar 26, having its ends extended to about midwaybetween the rails of the sidings 2 and 3 and there provided with friction-rollers 27, similar to the rollers 24 on the levers 16 and 19. The rollers 24 and 27 are constructed of two diameters, the larger one of which when acted upon by the shoes is for throwing the switch-rails from siding to siding and the smaller one of which is to be acted upon by the shoes when it is desired only to throw the switch from main track to siding or from sid ing to main track. Wear-plates 28 are suitably secured upon the ties or other supports where the rollers are applied to the levers 16 and 19 and bar 26.

An ordinary switch-stand is arranged alongside the track in line with the switch-bar 5 and has its shaft 29 connected with the switchbar 5 by a link 30, whereby the switch may be thrown by hand when the switch is unlocked, the said shaft being provided with the usual socket 31 to receive a bar or handle for turning same. In accordance with our invention the switch-stand is provided with a plate or table 32, rigidly secured upon the standard 33 and between the top thereof and the socket 31. This table is provided on its periphery with a series of notches 34 to receive the bar or handle for turning the shaft to thereby lock the shaft in its adjusted positions in throwing the switch. The table 32 is also proits attached locking-bolt and lever and the switch-stand are mounted upon a suitable base or other support, and arranged between the pillow-block and switch-stand is a stand or bearing 38, in which is pivotally supported a rock-lever 39, which at its free end engages the under side of the lever 14 of the locking mechanism, or it may be otherwise connected therewith. The other end of the lever 39 passes into the base of the switch-stand and is connected with a rod 40, which extends upwardly and passes through the elongated slot 35 in the table 32 and extends above said table and is provided with a suitable handle. The rod 40 adjacent the slot 35 is provided with an offset or lug 41, adapted to pass through said slot in the movement of the rod and be engaged on either side of the table to hold the rod in either at its adjusted positions.

A bar 42, having a hinged or jointed member 43 at one end and a padlock 44 connected to its other end, is provided for use in connection with the switch-stand-that is to say, the hinged or jointed member 43 is constructed to fit the socket 31 for the purpose of turning the shaft 29 of the switch-stand in operating the switch by hand, while the bar itself hangs down over the edge of the table and may be engaged in either one or the other of the notches in the edge of the table.

As shown in Fig. 6, the switch-operating levers may be incased by planking or in any other suitable manner, as at 45, leaving the rollers 24 exposed to be acted on by the shoes of a passing train.

The automatic switch-operating device may be attached either to a locomotive or to a car, as maybe desired, and we have herein shown (see Figs. 6 and 9) said device attached to an ordinary platform-car,and in accordance with our invention the said device comprises a pair of guides 46 46, suitably secured to the end of the car, as at 47 47, and upon opposite sides of the draw-bar opening and fitted to slide within these guides 46 46 are stems or legs 48 48, having at their lower extremities the horizontally-arranged triangular-shaped shoes 49 mental rack 50, and pivotally mounted upon said rack is a rock-lever 51, having an upwardly-extending handle or shifting-lever 52, provided with a sliding spring-pawl 53 for engaging thenotches of the rack to hold the lever and shoes in their shifted or adjusted positions. The outer ends of the rock-lever 51 are pivotally connected to the sliding stems or legs 48 48 by rods or links 54 54, secured to said stems or legs in any suitable manner, It will be observed that by this construction the shoes 49 49 may be maintained at the same elevation and out of the way of the rollers 24 and 27 when it is not desired to throw the switch by bringing the shifting-lever 52 to a vertical position, or either one of the shoes may be lowered by shifting the lever to the right or left, as the case may be, to cause the shoe to act upon either the large or small portion of either of the rollers 24 or 27 to thereby throw the switch, as may be desired. In any case the desired adjustment is maintained by the engagement of the lever with the appropriate notch in the rack. The shifting-lever 52 may be made detachable from the rock-lever 51 and secured to said rock-lever by a tenon-and-socket joint and locking pin or bolt 56, (see Figs. 4 and 9,) and by this construction the shifting-lever may be detached and placed out of the way when loading the car and will also be free from danger of breakage.

The operation of our invention is as follows: In order to set the apparatus for automatic operation, the parts are placed in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 2 that is to say, the rod 40 has been raised from the dotted-line position until its lug 41 passes through the slot 35 to the upper side of the table 32, the latch-plate 36 lowered about said rod, and the lug 41 engaged by the plate at the inner end of its notch and the padlock 44 applied to the staple 37, thereby securely looking the rod against downward movement. In raising the rod 40 the free end of the rocklever 39 is lowered and releases the lever 14, and thereby allows the spring-bolt to come into engagement with the locking-plate G of the switch-bar 5. Thus it will be seen that the switch is effectually locked against operation by hand, the spring-bolt engaging the notches or serrations in the locking-plate with sufficient stability to prevent such hand operation, but permitting the operation of the switch automatically by the shoes 49 49 on a moving train coming into contact with one or the other of the rollers 24 on the shifting-levers 16 or 19 or the rollers 27 on the bar 26. When it is desired to throw the switch by hand, the padlock is removed, the rod 40 raised until its ing 41 clears the latch-plate, and the latch-plate thrown back into the position shown in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines, Fig. 2, when the rod 40 is free to' be forced down, and consequently raising the free end of the lever 39 and through its connection with the lever 14 withdrawing the bolt'12 from engagement with the notches or serrations in the locking-plate 6, thereby leaving the switch-bar free to be operated by hand by inserting the hinged end 43 of the bar 42 into the socket 31 and using said bar as a handle. The parts may be retained in this position for hand operation by causing the lug 41 on the rod 40 to engage the under side of the table after it has passed through the slot 35, the said slot being elongated for this purpose.

We wish to be understood as not limiting our invention to the exact details of construction of parts herein shown and described, as they may be altered in various particulars and still be within the scope of our invention.

What we claim is 1. In a railway-switch, the combination of means for locking the switch-rails in their shifted positions against hand operation and means for automatically operating said switch-rails by a passing train when in such locked condition, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, and a switch-stand connected with said switch-bar for throwing said switch-rails by hand, combined with means for locking said switch-barin its shifted positions against operation by hand but permitting automatic operation thereof, and means for unlocking said switch-bar, whereby the switch may be operated by hand when desired, substantially as described.

3. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, anda switch-stand connected with said switch-bar for throwing said switch-rails by hand, combined with means for automatically operating said switch-rails, means for locking said switchbar in its shifted positions against operation by hand but permitting automatic operation thereof, means for unlocking said switch-bar, and means for maintaining said switch-bar in such unlocked condition, whereby the switch may be operated by hand when desired, substantially as described.

4. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, combined with a series of levers connected with said switchbar and comprising a single lever arranged between the switch-rails and a compound lever consistingof a series of bars pivotedtogether at their ends and arranged in alinement between the main track adjacent to the sidings, said levers being adapted to be engaged by a passing train to thereby automatically operate the switch, substantially as described.

5. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, combined with a series of levers connected to said switch-bar and comprising a single lever arranged between the switch-rails and a compound lever arranged between the main track adjacent to the sidings, a sliding bar connected directly with the free end of said compound lever and extending to the sidings, said levers and bar being adapted to be engaged by a passin g train to thereby automatically operate the switch, substantially as described.

6. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar con nected to the switch-rails, combined with a series of levers connected to said switch-bar and comprising a single lever arranged between the switch-rails and a compound lever arranged between the main track adjacent to the sidings, a sliding bar connected with said compound lever and extending to the sidin gs, and rollers mounted upon the free ends of said levers and bar adapted to be engaged by a moving train to thereby automatically operate the'switch, substantially as described.

7. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, combined with a series of levers connected to said switch-bar and comprising a single lever arranged between the switch-rails and a compound lever arranged between the main track adjacent to the sidings, a sliding bar connected with said compound leverand-extending to the sidings, and rollers on said levers, and bar having portions of different diameters adapted to be engaged independently by mechanism carried by a moving train, to throw the switch a greater or less distance, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In arailway-switch, a switch-shifting lever, comprising a bar having lateral lugs and independent brace-rods connected at their ends to said bar near its ends and engaging said lugs, substantially as described,

9. In a railway-switch, a switch-shifting lever, comprising a bar adapted to be pivoted between its ends and provided with lateral lugs adjacent the pivotal point, and independent brace -rods connected to said bar near its ends and supported by said lugs, substantially as described.

10. In a railway-switch, a switch-shifting lever, comprising a bar adapted to be pivoted between its ends and having lateral lugs adjacent the pivotal point, independent bracerods connected to said bar near its ends and supported by said lugs, and a friction-roller mounted upon one end of said bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In a railway-switch, a switch-shifting lever, comprising a bar adapted to be pivoted between its ends and having lateral lugs adj acent the pivotal point, brace-rods connected to said bar at its ends and supported by said lugs,,and a friction-roller mounted upon one end of said bar and having portions of diiferent diameters, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

12. In a railway-switch, a switch-shifting lever provided with a friction-roller having portions of different diameters, substantially as and for the purpose described.

13. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, a switch-stand to which said switch-bar is connected for operation by hand, and means for automatically operating said switch-bar, combined with a locking-plate carried by said switch-bar, a pillow-block in which said locking-plate is slidably mounted, a spring-bolt in said pillowblock adapted to engage said locking-plate to lock said switch-bar against hand operation but permitting automatic operation thereof by a passing train or locomotive, and means connected with said switch-stand for disengaging said bolt from the locking-plate,whereby the switch maybe operated by hand when desired, substantially as described.

14. In a railway-switch, the combination with the switch-rails, of a switch-bar, a locking-plate carried thereby having a flanged base, a pillow-block grooved to receive said flanged base, and a spring-bolt within said pillow-block adapted to engage the lockingplate, substantially as described.

15. In a railway-switch, a pillow-block, a spring pressed bolt arranged therein and adapted to normally engage and lock the switch-bar, and a bolt-releasing lever, in combination with a switch-bar slidably mounted in said pillow block, substantially as described.

16. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, a switch-stand to which said switch-bar is connected for hand operation, and means for automatically operating said switch-bar, combined with a locking-plate carried by said switch-bar, a pillowblockin which said locking-plate and switchbar are slidably mounted, a spring-bolt in said pillow-block adapted to engage said locking-plate to lock said switch-bar against hand operation but permitting automatic operation thereof by a passing train or locomotive, a verti call y-m ovable rod arranged adjacent said switch-stand, and connections between said rod and bolt, whereby said bolt may be disengaged from the locking-plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

17. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, a switch-stand to which said switch-bar is connected for hand operation, and means for automatically operating said switch-bar, combined with a locking-plate carried by said switch-bar, a pillowblock in which said locking-plate and switchbar are slidably mounted, a spring-bolt in said pillow-block adapted to engage said lockingplate to lock said switch-bar against hand operation but permitting automatic operation thereof by a passing train or locomotive, a vertically-movable rod arranged adjacent said switch-stand, and connections between said rod and bolt, whereby said bolt may be disengaged from the locking-plate,a table on said switch-stand through which said rod passes, and means on said table and rod for locking the rod against operation, substantially as described.

18. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar connected to the switch-rails, a switch-stand to which said switch-bar is connected for hand operation, and means for automatically operatin g said switch-bar, combined with a lockin'g-plate carried by said switch-bar, a pillowblock in which said locking-plate and switchbar are slidabl y mounted, aspring-bolt in said pillow-block adapted to engage said lockingplate to lock said switch-bar against hand operation but permitting automatic operation thereof by a passing train or locomotive, a vertically-movable rod arranged adjacent said switch-stand, and connections between said rod and bolt, whereby said bolt may be disengaged from the locking-plate,a table on said switch-stand through which said rod passes, a lug on said rod adjacent the opening in said table, and adapted to engage either side thereof, a notched plate pivoted to said table and adapted to embrace said rod and engage the lug thereon, and means for locking said plate in such position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

19. A switch-operating device, comprising a pair of guides adapted to be secured upon the end of a car or locomotive, stems or legs arranged in said guides and adapted toslide therein, shoes horizontally mounted upon the lower ends of said legs and having inclined or beveled edgesjextending toward each other, a shifting-lever also mounted upon the car or locomotive, connections between the ends of said shifting-lever and said legs, and a rack adapted to be engaged by the shifting-lever to maintain any given adjustment of the shoes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

20. A switch-operating device, comprising a pair of guides adapted to be secured upon the end of a car or locomotive, stems or legs arranged in said guides and adapted to slide therein, shoes horizontally mounted upon the lower ends of said legs and having inclined or beveled edges extending toward each other, a shifting-lever also mounted upon the car or locomotive, and having a detachable handle, connections between the ends of said shifting-lever and said legs, and a rack adapted to be engaged by the shifting-lever to maintain any given adjustment of the shoes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

21. In an automatic railWay-switch,switchoperating levers provided with friction-rollers having portions of different diameters, and switch-operating shoes carried by a car or locomotive and adapted to be adjusted to engage one or the other of the portions of said friction-rollers to thereby throw the switch a greater or less distance, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 23d day of August, A. D. 1901.

CARL SOHVVARZ. WILLIAM H. DRITTLER.

WVitnesses:

JEREMIAH T. FINNEG-AN, LAURENCE CORRIGAN. 

